"Good morning Superman." Raven greets at the man's image on the screen in the living room, while Richard is busy making brunch.
"Morning Raven. We've had a request for you and the other Titan founders to come to Washington for questioning about Terra." He says.
"Ok, when and where do we have to be there?" She asks.
"Tomorrow, Police HQ, if you are able to make it that is." He says.
"Well I am, hold up." Raven says before heading to the kitchen. "Want to come to Washington tomorrow for the police enquire?"
"If Bruce green-lights it." He says as he looks up from the meal he is preparing. "But don't mention what she did to me." She just nods at this before heading back to the screen.
"We are both going if Bruce agrees." She says.
"I do." Batman says as he appears besides Superman on the screen, having had to attend a meeting on the station. "Zatanna is going as well as is Ravager and Jericho, they handed in their charges when she was deemed fit for trial."
"So as Titans I guess it's mostly for background information?" Raven asks.
"Mostly, you are the people who know her best, but they will be asking other questions." Superman says.
"Expect Waller to be there as well. Come to Gotham when you are done." Batman continues before he closes the feed.
"How is the city?" Raven sends over the bond she has with Bruce.
"Different, we have had to change a few things because of it." The man admits. "Is Richard here?" He asks, using the mental trick Raven and J'onn taught him to broadcast the question to everyone able to receive it, out in the kitchen there is a yelp, a bump and a crash.
"You ok out there?" Raven asks.
"Bruce, I hold you responsible for the tea-kettle I just dropped!" Richard complains loudly as Raven walks out to him, finding him looking for something to dry up the contents of the shattered tea kettle.
"Get a sponge." Raven says as she levitates the pieces of the kettle into the bin.
"Porcelain?" Bruce asks.
"Yeah." Richard sighs.
"Well at least you are well enough to have dropped it. I will see you two after your trip to Washington, don't be too foolish in the meantime."
"Think he knows?" Richard asks.
"Of course he does." Raven shrugs. "But I count on his decency to not watch."
"Me too." Richard smirks while drying up the mess on the floor. "So what's up today?"
"Keeping up appearances, and I hope to entice you to a sword fight?"
"Tired of me already?" He teases with a smirk, that she meets with an expressionless look. "What?"
"I was just reminded of something." She sighs as he picks up the soaked sponge and drops it into the bin. "You realize, I hope, that we can't grow old together?"
"We can't?" He asks in confusion before it hits him. "Oh… yeah, I know you won't age anymore."
"And it doesn't bother you?" She asks.
"I think it's more of a reverse question if you can still be with me when I turn 60?" He counters. "That is if we live that long." Raven's eyes become distant for a few moments thinking about herself and Richard in 60 years, she being as youthful as she is now and Richard possibly being an old man in a wheelchair.
"We will deal with it if we get there." She sighs.
"We will." Richard nods before crossing over to hug her. "But I have to ask you to promise me this; if we get there and past it, please don't live the rest of your life in grief because I am not there anymore."
"I will promise I will try." She says before they lean into each other for a kiss. "Mmm… I hope those year's pass as slowly as possible."
"Me too Rae, me too." Richard says as he holds her close.
The young couple spending most of the day with Raven driving Richard around, either by car or by pushing him along in the wheelchair, visiting mutually interesting sites and some that was only really interesting to one of them. Like Richard getting pulled into clothes shop of the darker variety and Raven having to take Richard to an electronics retailer to get an old Kung-Fu movie. But they enjoy the time together and show interest in the each other's interests, with Richard getting himself something so that he won't look completely out of place when he has to accompany Raven to a concert or something and with Raven picking up an old roman epic along the way before they head home in the afternoon.
"Ohh…" Raven groans.
"Still think I need a steak tenderizer for you." Richard replies, this has someone who just let herself in the front door, storm down into the living room.
"You stop this..!" Diana's anger is immediately replaced with confusion as the two look up from what they were doing, with Richard pressing his hands against Raven's back. "What is going on here?"
"Err." Richard starts.
"Only Richard giving me a massage." Raven says as she lies bare backed on the sofa. "Pushing him around most of the day was harder than I thought. What brings you here?"
"Keeping up appearances." Diana says as Richard begins again. "Hope you don't mind the company?"
"Of course not." Richard replies. "Actually I think your sister has something to announce."
"Very subtle Richard." Raven smirks. "But yeah, last night Richard asked me if I wanted to be his girlfriend, and I said yes." Diana just wears a look of surprise on her face before smiling.
"I hope you both find the happiness Bruce and I have found." She says. "So are you sure I am not intruding?"
"Not at all, I was going to engage Richard in a sword fight when he is done, maybe you want to join us?"
"Think I am going to get my ass kicked." Richard says as a smirk creeps over Diana's face.
"You did good Richard." Diana says while Raven tends to the huge bruise Richard has acquired on his right arm.
"Thanks, but I still lost." He replies, it had been years since he had wielded a blade and he felt like he had forgotten everything when Diana had rushed him. Raven had patiently waited for him to engage her, but he could tell she had more experience than him now.
"Don't worry, we will get you up to date. And it's not that many who can match Diana, so cheer up." Raven says as the bruise fades away.
"But you can I bet?" Richard asks with a smirk.
"She can hold her own." Diana replies for Raven who just smirks. "And I do believe she should prove it."
"Eep." Raven fakes as she picks up the replica Richard had used. "We better not wreck the room this time then." She continues as the two get onto the mat, while Richard leans back in his seat to enjoy the show.
"Thought you two were going to kill each other." Richard notes over the kitchen table and his cup of coffee, while Raven has her tea and Diana has made herself an ice mocca, actually Richard was sure he could have compared the match to two elephants charging head-first into each other as the pair used whatever they could to strike at each other. It wasn't so much a sword fight as it was a fist fight where they had swords as well.
"Oh that's how it usually goes." Diana replies easilly. "At least only the props were broken this time."
"Unlike the boxing ring on the station two months ago." Raven notes. "Anyways, didn't you once say that the more we sweat in the gym, the less we bleed on the street?"
"I did, but that was to stop Garfield complaining." He replies, remembering the green teen claiming he gained nothing from the daily exercise.
"Well, the weekly laps you had us all do did make it possible for me to keep up with Artemis and the others that first morning. Though I thought I was going to cough up my lungs at the end of it."
"Well, that was something at least." Richard smirks, while noting the bruises the two women had inflicted on each other, since both fists and feet ended up being used in equal measure as the sword replicas. "So you always train like that?"
"We do, Shayera does as well, but it helps that Raven can heal others." Diana says.
"So is Barda still out hunting for you?" Richard continues, remembering the imposing New God with a grudge.
"Only when her mood is foul enough." Raven shrugs. "Never fails with calling me Four Eyes though."
"She will continue to do that till she wins over you." Diana says.
"Am I supposed to believe you've lost to her?" Raven asks remembering Diana wasn't called something rude.
"Only on purpose, got tired of being called Tiny." Diana smirks, remembering how much Barda had gloated the week after, till she got defeated by Diana again.
"You'd think she has an inferiority complex." Raven shrugs.
"Well, just don't say it to her face, or she will never relent." Diana continues.
"With me calling her Longshanks probably isn't helping then." Raven sighs while looking out the window.
"So Diana are you staying for dinner?" Richard asks.
"Why Richard are you trying to get rid of me?" Diana asks with a smirk. "Actually I was wondering if you'd want to come see the finished Embassy, you could sleep over till tomorrow."
"Actually that sounds like a good idea, would save Rae the trip." Richard says.
"Still have to get us there tonight, but I think it's a good idea and you can get a taste of Ferdinand's cooking." Raven says. "Should we get packing then?"
Embassy of Themyscira, Virginia
"Wow." Richard says as they appear in the main hall of the embassy in the late afternoon, dressed in civilian, ending up in front of the towering bronze statue of Athena.
"She looks better in the full light." Raven notes at the glass dome that Diana had replaced the original roof with.
"That she does." Diana agrees. "Now lets go see if Ferdinand can squeeze another guest onto his menu." She continues as they begin to move around the statue, with Richard having the odd feeling that the colossus is watching him.
"So they didn't head home?" Raven asks.
"Only Donna and Cassandra, the others wanted to see Washington." Diana replies. "They say I am a better driver than you."
"Well hopefully they also say I have a bigger car than you." Raven replies.
"You forget we have a sizerble SUV fit for an Amazon now."
"No, but I like imagining that you crammed six Amazons into that small one you had initially."
"Think I would have to put two on the roof." Diana smirks at the idea as they enter the kitchen, finding Ferdinand there busy with peeling potatoes. "Hey Ferdinand."
"Oh hello Princess, I didn't hear you come in and Raven of course." The big man looks up. "Oh, hello there."
"Um hey." Richard waves having completely forgotten the towering man he handed over a package to.
"Ferdinand, this is Richard Grayson." Raven introduces as she pulls Richard over to shake hands with Ferdinand.
"Pleasure." Ferdinand says.
"Likewise." Richard replies as his hand is squeezed. "Firm grip." Ferdinand just smirks at this.
"So what grace brings you here?" Ferdinand asks Raven as he lets go.
"Police enquiry tomorrow regarding Terra, Diana offered us to sleep here tonight." Raven says.
"That and that he and the others have to learn how to get along." Diana says, getting odd looks from both Ferdinand and Richard. "With him and Raven being together."
"Oh, well congratulations." Ferdinand says.
"Thanks, er, who are the others?" Richard asks.
"My sisters from Themyscira." Raven shrugs with a smile.
"The ones we went to Tartarus with?" Richard asks, getting a nod from Raven. "I am not going to have fight them all? Am I?" Raven and Diana takes a look at each other seemingly considering the question that last just long enough for him to start worrying.
"Well, doubt you can avoid it really." Raven shrugs. "Artemis and Penelope will no doubted want to try if you change clothes and you'll probably have to prove yourself even if you don't. Besides, you did mention your name on Themyscira."
"And deliberately folding won't help matters?" He asks.
"They will shun you and Raven will be encouraged to leave you." Ferdinand says as he returns to his pealing.
Richard sighs. "Well, better work up an appetite then."
"Evening sisters." Diana greets as she finds the group of warriors enjoying the evening sun in the garden, Antiope and Artemis trying to outdo each other on the archery lane at the back, Philipus lying in safe distance from the pool reading a book while Penelope is meditating next to her and Io enjoying the pool she has for herself. "Don't get up." Diana says quickly before the others can rush to form a line in front of her like they did the first time she came back.
"Welcome back Princess." Philipus greets as she closes her book. "Was your afternoon satisfactory?"
"It was, thank you." Diana says. "I see you are all still enjoying yourselves."
"It's so quiet here." Penelope notes as she breaks off her meditation. "When your servants have left that is."
"Employees." Diana corrects. "They may not be Amazons or warriors, but we are dependant on them here, and they do free me of requesting other sisters to come and do what they do."
"I can just imagine Penelope sitting in one of those rooms all day while the sun is shining outside, pouring over a stack of papers." Io says from the pool as she rests her head on her folded arms on the pool edge.
"Well we all know you would be stuck in the garage or by the jet if I requested you here." Diana replies while the two archers walk up to them.
"Welcome back Diana." Artemis greets flatly, telling volumes about the result of the contest, Diana and Antiope just smirk.
"Thank you Artemis. Now I have an announcement to make." Diana pauses to make sure she has their attention. "Sister Raven has acquired herself a companion, they are still very early in their proclaimed relationship, but they have known each other for a decade now. And I am sure she would appreciate if you all treat him respectfully." Philipus and Io just stare at Diana as if she had grown a second head.
"Let us decide if he deserves the respect or not." Artemis says. "He is here?"
"Yes and we expected that you would, but since dinner will be severed shortly we only have time for one, for now."
"Any chance we know who it is?" Io asks.
"Yes, if you remember Nightwing who accompanied us to Tartarus?"
"The son of the Dark One?" Penelope asks a little surprised getting a nod. "Seems Amazons gravitate towards those."
"So who wants to test him out?" Diana asks after smiling slightly at Penelope's remark.
"Armed or unarmed?" Artemis asks.
"He will adapt to your choice." Diana replies.
"Hmm." Artemis smirks and looks at a certain someone.
"So who do you think it will be?" Nightwing asks as he loosens up his muscles in the sparring hall of the embassy, that he has admitted is very much like the Leagues, only this one has an added weapon rack.
"Artemis is the most likely, but it could be any of them." Raven replies while hovering over a bench in her meditative stance, while she has also changed into her cloak and leotard.
"Anything I should know any of them?"
"Don't pull punches." Raven says as she senses the others getting close.
"Got it." He replies as the doors are pushed open and six amazons enter the room. Diana in the lead in her usual armor and the others following behind her dressed in various shades of brown skin clothing's over cloth shirts that uniformly leave their arms free, none of them look exactly pleased. "Hi."
"We hear that our Sister has courted you Nightwing." Anitope asks.
"I have and she has agreed." Richard says, knowing the term courting was dating by another word.
"So we have been told, but are you worthy?" Artemis asks, getting an odd silence from Nightwing before continuing. "Philipus." Raven raises an eyebrow as the magician steps forwards to stand before Nightwing on the mat while the others retreat to the bench.
"Thought it would be you or Penelope." Raven whispers to Artemis as the two on the mat silently take each other in.
"Maybe some other time." Artemis shrugs.
"So Phili…" Nightwing suddenly becomes a whole lot more focused on dodging than asking questions as Philipus quickly closes the distance and throws several punches and a few kicks at him, forcing him on the defensive before he can enact a backwards flip to get some distance between them before he leaps into his own attack combinations that he notes seems to only annoy her, before she plants an open palm in his chest that sends him onto his back.
"Think of her as a charging rhino." Raven's voice rings in his head as she towers over her.
"Surely the son of the Dark One is not this easy?" She asks, Nightwing twists aside as she punches the spot on the ground he was occupying.
"Not out yet." He says before curling his legs under him and kicks out, sending her onto her back before he gets up to see her jump up as well and leaps at him. To Nightwing, Bruce's lecture on leaps comes back to him as he responds with a backwards somersault bring his feet up to meet her face as she gets into range, causing her leap to become a tumble that carries them both to the ground. Where Nightwing is the faster of the two as he uses the situation to get Philipus onto her knees as he sits down on her ankles with his legs under her, while bending her backwards by her wrists till her spine can bend no further. As she becomes aware of it she begins straining and thrashing about to get free, only to fail. "Yield." Nightwing growls, it's not easy for him to hold onto her.
"No." Philipus growls back, Raven can feel she is at one time both furious, and immensely embarrassed that she can't dislodge him as she continues thrashing about, the feeling of hurt and embarrassment becoming more and more evident in her. "I can't loose to you."
"It's over." Diana announces with a sigh and Nightwing quickly lets go, so she doesn't slam her head into the ground before he gets off her as the others walk over to them, Antiope walking directly over to Philipus at a slightly faster pace.
"Sister?" She asks as Philipus gets up, but only gets a growl and a stare where she can see the mix of rage and humiliation before Philipus stomps angrily out of the room.
"I kinda feel bad now." Nightwing says.
"Don't be, her pride is just wounded, like any of ours would have been." Artemis sighs. "Guess you passed the test?" She asks looking at the others.
"He did." Penelope says. "But I hope I get a match at some point. Since I guess, you were the one who taught Raven her fighting skills?"
"I laid the groundwork." Richard replies before he begins walking towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Io asks.
"Making sure we can be in the same room." He says before he disappears.
"You sure Philipus didn't hit him too hard?" Antiope asks Raven, they all know Philipus has a temper, as they all do, hers is just made the more dangerous from her magic.
"His mind is team oriented, he was the one the others put in the way when I lost my temper back in the day." Raven shrugs. "But we better go make sure the first person he can't calm down ends up killing him."
"I suppose that's me?" Nightwing asks as he sits down, while Philipus lets a second arrow fly into the target in front of her.
"You shouldn't be here." Philipus says quietly without looking as she draws another arrow.
"Sure I should, I made you upset." He says as she fires again.
"It is not you I am upset with." Philipus says as she draws again but she is slowing down. "It is me."
"You aren't bad and I am trained to fight people who are much stronger or resilient than me." He says getting Philipus to finally face him.
"I shouldn't really have expected anything else, but you fail to see what this will do to me at home." Philipus growls. "That do you think will happen to me when my Sisters learn that I couldn't defeat a mere man?"
"Philipus, I know your people are very focused on your honor and I guess you think yours have been tarnished now, but really it hasn't. Let me finish, please." He says as she is about to cut him off. "I know this because I was like that once, when I worked with Raven for example. Batman and I were not on speaking terms and I had left his side to prove I could handle myself. Where Raven, myself and a three others settled, we met a man who's goal was to overthrow the city. He was just a man, like any other, and I saw him as the thing I needed, the trophy, to prove I had what it took to be on my own. But no matter what I did, I couldn't stop him, I couldn't beat him and I couldn't out think him. Whenever I thought I did, he always revealed that he had led me there on purpose so he could prove a point. After each of these cases, I felt he had grinded my pride into the ground and it angered me each time and I vowed each time I would be better the next time. Do you know what I got from feeling like that?" He asks.
"No." Philipus replies.
"Nothing, I got absolutely nothing from my anger." He sighs. "The anger and ensuring failure to see the big picture was exactly what he wanted from me."
"Your tale fails to lift my spirits, I merely lets me know that there is one other man who would defeat me." She sighs.
"Well, let me ask you this then; how did Artemis and Penelope take their defeats at the hands of Batman?" He asks.
"Princess Diana's tales needed proving, and he did." Philipus shrugs, knowing that one would rather forget about it and the other was training to become his equal. "But you are not him."
"I was, for a time actually. Two years ago when Princess Diana and Batman were stuck in Ravens head I filled in for him, if you remember it? I didn't want to initially, but Batman is something bigger than whoever happens to be wearing the cowl. So if you have to say anything, say that you fought the Dark One, as you call him."
"You do not jest?" She asks getting him to shake his head. "I guess I can live a defeat like that, well fought then." She says and nods at him.
"You too." He smirks and nods at her as she resumes her target practice as he gets up, and turns to see a group of people standing by the pool, just within earshot. "I think we have been overheard."
"They obviously feared I would have tried venting my anger on you." Philipus says without turning, pulling the bow taunt for a second before seemingly becoming aware of something. "Sister Raven is here."
"Only just got here." Raven says as she rises out of the shadows on the ground. "Oh and dinner is prepared if you care to join us?"
"Hmm, that sounds like a good idea." Philipus says as she takes a final shot, a bulls eye.
Next chapter: Somebody else has their eyes on Richard and she will have her sport.